Thanks for the reply back kittyluvr400. Sadly, I have to agree with what you, Ferd, and stepmum said. Like kittyluvr400 said, people are out of work anyway so why not give it a shot. A lot of people have non-disabling chronic medical complaints. I have had a bad back and back pain since I was 17 years old but it never prevented me from working. The thing is before you can even apply for SSDI, you must have the medical records to back up your claim. I can see someone who has never seen a doctor ever becoming disabled all of a sudden after something like a heart attack or stroke for example but those people who are out of work with chronic minor health challenges and infrequent doctor visits over the years have virtually no chance at getting SSDI. What does happen tho is that this does not prevent these people from applying anyway and all these additional applications bog the system down even more. SSDI (disabled) people and retired people are sharing the same SS OASDI (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) pie and there are many more people retired than disabled. Being disabled is actually an early form of retirement b/c one is not able to work any longer to SSNRA (normal retirement age).

In a way, I suppose we should all be grateful that the SSDI process is hard because it does filter out some of the non disabling claims which makes it better for those of us who have been approved for SSDI or retired.

In order for things like SSR, SSDI and LTD to work, you must always have more people working and paying premiums than people unable to work and collecting benefits. Essentially, the people working are paying for those who can no longer work for whatever reason. State lottery's run on this same principle. You can't have more people disabled than people working. If that happens, the whole thing collapses. I hope they will find novel ways to keep SS solvent. Very few people are able to work right up until the point soon before they die.

Last edited by BlueSkies14; 11-02-2011 at 07:29 AM.

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ferd144 (11-02-2011)